Postdoctoral Associate

Mississippi State University; Miami (FL); On-site; USD 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Mississippi State University is hiring a Postdoctoral Associate for the Northern Gulf Institute in Miami. The candidate will develop molecular assay methodologies to support fisheries monitoring and collaborate with NOAA and state wildlife agencies. Applicants should have a Ph.D. in a relevant field and experience in molecular biology and bioinformatics. This position encourages a collaborative environment with opportunities for mentorship and research dissemination. Benefits include exposure to diverse scientific projects in an innovative lab setting.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in molecular biology, computational biology, bioinformatics, or related field.
• Experience in molecular biology, specifically with DNA metabarcoding and PCR.
• Strong programming and data science skills in Python and/or R.

Responsibilities

• Develop and validate workflows for molecular assays.
• Oversee and mentor lab technicians and interns.
• Disseminate findings through publications and conferences.

Skills

Molecular biology experience

Bioinformatics skills

Programming in Python or R

Published research record

Data science skills

Education

Ph.D. in molecular biology or related field

Tools

Unix command line

DADA2

QIIME

Job description

Apply now Job no: 510622
Position type: Full-Time 12-Month
Department: 191001 - Northern Gulf Institute
Location: Miami, FL

Job Overview

The Northern Gulf Institute at Mississippi State University is seeking a Postdoctoral Associate to lead the development and application of molecular assays to support fisheries and biodiversity monitoring. Based at NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML) in Miami, Florida, the successful candidate will develop innovative environmental DNA (eDNA) laboratory methods to enhance fisheries stock assessments. Working in a highly collaborative environment, this role will leverage bioinformatics and laboratory expertise to develop novel quantitative metabarcoding approaches and qPCR assays to improve regional fisheries surveys. It offers a unique opportunity to collaborate with scientists at the Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC) and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to operationalize eDNA tools for fisheries management.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Develop and validate quantitative metabarcoding workflows utilizing droplet digital PCR (ddPCR), Unique Molecular Identifiers (UMIs) tagging, and synthetic DNA standards.
• Develop and validate an optimized eDNA metabarcoding primer set designed to resolve taxonomic ambiguities in regional managed fish taxa families.
• Leverage bioinformatics software and scripts for primer development and processing of metabarcoding and ddPCR data.
• Oversee, collaborate with, and mentor laboratory technicians and interns associated with the project.
• Disseminate project findings through peer‑reviewed publications and presentations at scientific conferences.
• Collaborate closely with researchers at AOML, NGI, SEFSC, and FWC.

Minimum Qualifications

• A Ph.D. in molecular biology, computational biology, bioinformatics, genomics, marine science, or a closely related field.
• Demonstrated experience in molecular biology, specifically with DNA metabarcoding and PCR protocol development.
• Bioinformatics experience, including proficiency with the Unix command line, management of large sequencing datasets, and development/use of computational workflows.
• Strong programming and data science skills in languages such as Python and/or R.
• A record of scholarly achievement, evidenced by at least one first‑author peer‑reviewed publication.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills and the ability to work effectively in a collaborative research environment.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Significant molecular biology experience including developing qPCR protocols and DNA metabarcoding.
• Experience analyzing large‑scale metabarcoding and/or metagenomic datasets using common bioinformatics tools (e.g., DADA2, QIIME) on high‑performance computing (HPC) environments.
• A strong publication record, including first‑author publications in relevant fields.
• Demonstrated commitment to open‑source code and FAIR data management principles.
• Ability to work effectively within a team of federal scientists and academic contractors.
• Attention to detail regarding laboratory QA/QC and the maintenance of comprehensive electronic and physical records.

Working Conditions and Physical Effort

Occasional and/or light lifting required. Limited exposure to elements such as heat, cold, noise, dust, dirt, chemicals, etc., but none to the point of being disagreeable. May involve minor safety hazards.

Routine deadlines are usually provided with sufficient lead time; work volume varies predictably. Priorities can be anticipated; some interruptions are present, and occasional exposure to demands and pressure from persons other than the immediate supervisor occurs.

Job frequently requires standing, walking, climbing or balancing, stooping/kneeling/crouching/crawling and lifting up to 50 pounds.

Vision requirements: Ability to see information in print and/or electronically, ability to distinguish colors.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Mississippi State University is an equal opportunity institution. Discrimination is prohibited in university employment, programs or activities based on race, color, ethnicity, sex, pregnancy, religion, national origin, disability, age, sexual orientation, genetic information, status as a U.S. veteran, or any other status to the extent protected by applicable law. Questions about equal opportunity programs or compliance should be directed to the Office of Civil Rights Compliance, 231 Famous Maroon Band Street, P.O. 6044, Mississippi State, MS 39762, [phone].

Accommodation Request

In compliance with the ADA Amendments Act (ADA), if you have a disability and would like to request an accommodation to apply for a position with Mississippi State University, please contact the Department of Human Resources Management at [phone] or email [e-mail]. Upon request, sections of this job listing are available in large print, and readers are available to assist the visually impaired.